The Sunrise
by RedShepard
Summary: There are four basic components that blend to devise the perfect cup of coffee. Aroma, Body, Acidity, Flavour. Every morning, before class, Blake Belladonna makes sure she visits a local cafe to experience her perfect cup of coffee. College AU - Bumbleby


**Chapter 1: **Aroma

A single flower and a gust of wind can bring you back to various points in your life, to the times you ran across the paddock in boots only to be told off by your mother for bringing mud into the house, to the time you saw bouquet of letters and chocolate stuffed into your locker, only to run up to it and find that it wasn't your locker, your locker was the next one over and had graffiti sprayed over it, to the time where the sky grew darker, the wind was stronger and you had to say goodbye to someone you love.

Smells are overwhelmingly nostalgic, one sniff and you are flooded with memories and emotions that messes up your entire being.

Sometimes it brings warmth, especially when you recall the memory associated with it. Sometimes along with the memory there would be a string of pain, regret, guilt. At other times, before you could comprehend where you learnt of that smell, your heart would crack,

crack,

crack

and eventually

_shatter._

The worst part is, you long for this feeling, you long for it, but no matter how far you dig, you can't find why.

_What am I even looking for?_

"Here you go. Medium Latte with no sugar."

_Oh heck_

Sweet and Earthy. Her body shivers, her nose twitches and her heart _swells_.

Blake looks up from her book and matches those eyes, eyes she dreams of every night and rush to see every morning.

Soft Lilac.

_And swells._

She gives permission for herself to drown in them, but not for too long, she never lets her gaze linger for too long, afraid she'll let on too much of her heart. Especially not how it's been cracking ever since the day she walked into this quaint cafe across from her campus.

For a month, her heart has been slowly but surely losing its grip. Every time she steps in the cafe, rushes of blank memories circle her head, as if taunting her, but she can't get enough. It's like her olfactory system keeping a secret from her and she hates it.

Sweet and earthy and she's losing her heart. Yet she keeps coming back.

She looks away and mumbles a "Thanks", before forcing her eyes back on her book. Not long she will hear footsteps walking away from her usual seat to back behind the counter, like she has heard every day. She has memorised the sound of her steps, and how it takes 15 steps for her to return back. A straight walk back from her seat. She chose this seat for a reason.

She waits for it. Waits for the moment she can breathe again. Waits for the moment she won't be able to hear her heart pounding maniacally. Waits for the moment she can once again follow the blonde with her eyes, searing every detail of her in her mind.

But today, today those moments didn't come, because her barista sits herself on the seat beside her, her gaze forward. Blake's palms suddenly clammy as she grips her book, her nails turning white.

_Seriously, this isn't good for my heart._

The barista points forward towards the upper window and smiles widely. "I'd say you chose the best seat in this cafe."

Blake follows her gaze and watches as the sky dance away from the indigo and into a mixture of warm colours as the sun showed itself.

"How does it feel experiencing the sun all to yourself?" She turns to look at Blake and grins again, and _dammit it's beautiful._

_She's so close, I can smell her._

An overflowing smell of sunshine, it's so distinct and it hurts. It hurts.

Blake watches the empty counter, her coffee teasing her to take a sip. Her voice lost in her moment, she encircles her palms on the cup. The sunrise was a sight indeed, but somehow she was always more focused on something else. Someone that worked right in front of the sunrise, every morning.

She knew she took too long to answer because the barista decides to kindly change the topic. "A new cover already." Her voice drips like honey from a newly made honeycomb. _Ah, geez._

Blake follows lilac eyes and turns her eyes back to her book, grips the edge of it and nods.

_She's so close._

"What's this one about?"

She places her book down and turns to see her barista grinning at her with a sparkle in her eyes.

_It's so beautiful._

Her barista tilts her head as she waits for an answer and in the process leans towards her as she tries to get a better look at the cover.

_She's too close...and she's smells too good._

Suddenly, she feels dizzy, her head hurts, her mouth is dry, she can't breathe and suddenly everything is too much. She didn't realise that the smell of sunshine would give her so much pain.

She bring her hands to her head, a throbbing sensation wraps itself around her temples. She wants to scream but still she answers the blonde. "About a lost love."

The blonde chuckles and leans back. She folds her arms, closes her eyes and smiles.

"Then, I hope it's found again."

Blake shakes her head, hoping to get rid of the headache, it hurts so intensely she doesn't even stop to question what the expression on the barista meant or why she chuckled. She reaches for her coffee and takes a large gulp.

Sweet, earthy and sunshine.

And she sees.

_Fire_

Why did her mind conjure an image of - a searing pain crosses her chest, her heart is tearing, her vision begins to blur. She takes the opportunity that the blonde's eyes are closed to massage the sides of her temples, hoping to ease the pain.

She grits her teeth. "No, in the end, they both find someone else." She takes another gulp of her coffee and somehow she feels like she's missing a piece of a puzzle.

The barista opens her eyes and suddenly, Blake sees something she hadn't before.

_Defeat_.

"There's always room for another book, it doesn't have to end at one" she states as she gives the book a gentle pat.

_Too much_.

Her barista's eyebrow scrunch up. Concern paints her face but Blake isn't daft.

_Please don't pretend you care._

"Hey, are you okay?" Worry oozes out. Blake doesn't believe it. Stop fake worrying about me, she wants to scream.

Just, it's too much.

"Please leave me alone" Blake says through her clenched teeth.

"Ah., I'm sorry -" She can sense the guilt coming from the blonde. She wants to reassure her.

She begins but was cut off by the entrance opening.

"Blake!"

Blake sees the hurt on the barista's face but quickly she turns to see her friend running towards her, with an enthusiasm she doesn't quite understand but appreciate nonetheless. Her heart seems to calm, her headache abating with each step her friend took towards her.

Her barista stands from her chair and gives an awkward chuckle. She scratches her cheek, "but maybe in the end they are suited for someone else." She gives another painful smile. "Sorry for using up your time. Enjoy the coffee."

_Don't go._

The smell of sunshine lingers as she watches the back of her barista but her vision was quickly blocked by her very enthusiastic friend.

"Guess what?"

He quickly dips his hand in his jacket pocket and pulls out two tickets. "Neptune scored two movie tickets but he isn't able to go so wanna go tonight?"

Her gaze quickly lands on her book, then to the blonde's back and then back at Sun.

Perhaps, in the end they are suited for someone else. She looks up from her book and sees Sunwok's smile.

"What time?"

**Chapter End**


End file.
